Yesterday the weather was awesome. Today started out niced but then came some rain that lasted about 3-45 minutes. The sun came out and was very nice with a little added coolness. Tonight, during the music jam and burger/dog roast it became quite cool as in cold for this Floridian and some native Carolinians too!

Looked at MANY busses and saw some interesting ideas. Met some really nice people and finally put some faces to spme names, as always! People are so friendly when chatting and many laughs are being had by most all!

Tomorrow brings the infamous door latch seminar put on by Jack Conrad on my NEW friend Bob's MCI. Oh and thanks for the 12 cases of Cronies Bob! They seem to be going pretty fast! LOL

Nice clean rv park with a nice layed back atmosphere is bringing this rally up to par quick!

I'm sure once you see the many pictures that Gary LaBombard has taken, you guys that missed being here will not want to miss another rally whether it's here or anywhere! We have busses from SC, Florida, Delaware, Oklahoma, Ga., and probably other states as well. A pretty good showing for just the 2nd rally if you ask me!

We arrived Wednesday evening around 11:15 with our friend Alan Kline behind us in his New dodge P/U and slide in camper. He had broken a U-joint just 35 miles from home and couldn't bring the 4104 "Paco Express"!

We had a very nice ride until... the ONLY unfortunate dumb stupid mistake I made on I-95. Let's just say, you should never ever hit the kneeling button while doing 65 mph on an interstate. A LOT of $#!% happens! No harm done as we pulled over and let it air back up, raised the front back up and away we went! Had to ride about 100 miles in messy pants! (not really)

EVERYTHING worked as planned and ran like it should have!

Got all hooked up and slept like a log!

Thursday morning, breakfast and then started on them cronies! Also started cleaning SOME of the love bugs off the windshield. More to go!

Talked to many people that came by and ate and ate and ate!

Did I mention the laughs we were having? Too many to share here but if you ever get a chance to meet and talk one on one with Gary, have him tell you some of his personal experiences. Not with just a bus, but life in general! It will cause you to piss your pants and if it doesn't, your just not human!

Gotta run...

Stay tuned for the Gary Labombard rally updates with pictures and text!

Glad to hear all is well and everyone is having a great time in Timmonsville! I personally had a terrible night !I got the girls here to the hotel and just got settled in when I received a call from mom (she always bears the bad news, while dad is looking to find the cause!) telling me they were broke down on I-64 near Nashville, IL (only 5 hrs away from me!). Finally after many phone calls we were able to get a service truck out there to get the bus aired up and off the road to his shop! Seems the remanufactured air compresser installed the same time the remanufactured engine was in March failed! Well I think all is good as a competitor is sending a bus and a used compresser and should be picking them up now! Now we just need to get the bus fixed to get down to where his job is tonight and cover it for him since he'll still be in Huntsville, AL for us! Oh well suns up and it's a new day maybe things will be better! BK

You folks must be having one heck of a good time. Last night all of my neighbors came over to the bus and wanted to know where the party was. When I said Timmonsville SC they sure was disappointed. Sure wish we could have made it but that is life.

Wish you could have made it to. We are having so much fun. This AM I went to Krispy Kreme for donuts and Jackie Weis (NCBob's boss) served up biscuits and homemade sausage gravy. After we stuffed ourselves, 4 carloads of us went fleamarketing and visited both of our local markets. We were gone almost 4 hours. When we got back some of us fortified ourselves with hotdogs and hamburgers while smelling the wonderful smelling pork being tended by this weekends chef, Gene Lewis. While all that was going on there were a few seminars going on but I'll let one of the guys tell you about that stuff. Around 7 we pounced on the delicious BBQ and fixins that were brought by everyone (all kinds of goodies). Before dinner we were entertained by JR and his wonderful music makers. After dinner we delighted in the music of John Ghormleys gospel folks. Those folks arrived at 2 AM Sat morning and will be leaving around 5:30 AM on Sun to drive a couple of hours to another performance. Lucky are the people in the congregation that get to hear the witness of this wonderful group. After they stopped singing, we gave out little door prizes while JR's folks set up again for more blue grass entertainment. This time they were joined by Gary LaBombard, our self appointed, and group valued , photographer (who knew he could sing to) Everyone seems to be having fun, visiting, checking out busses, learning, teaching, playing and relaxing. The best part of the whole weekend as far as I am concerned is the new friendships that have developed. I certainly hope to keep in touch with some of the women that I met. We missed the folk that came last time but couldn't make it this time but we also value the new friends we got to meet and finally put faces with the names we have chatted with, or learned from online. More info from me tomorrow and I'm sure at least one of the guys will fill you in on the actual bus stuff that went on. Cat

I just got home from the rally. The only bad thing was that I had to leave.

I'm so glad I went!

I got to meet some GREAT people & put faces to names. This rally & the people I met confirmed the fact that the converted coach family is the BEST.

My Dad went with us ('er, ummm, I talked him into taking us in his MH), anyway, He has been to tons of rallys with his Airstream & this was his favorite by far. He is even asking about other bus-nut rallys & we are going to look into having one near Table Rock (South Carolina).

I got to meet the famous Jack & Paula. They are sooooo cooooool.

Dallas & Cat ain't bad neither!

Ace & Susan were the life of the party, never a dull moment around those two!

Gary & Linda... You better behave, 'cause Gary will have it posted on his website!

I'm horrible at names, so the rest of the attendees will have to be patient with me while I try to learn, but I did not meet anyone that isn't welcome at my house anytime!

To those who missed it, you sure missed a good 'un!

Thanks Cat & Dallas!

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I know you believe you understand what you think I said, but I am not sure you realize that what you heard is not what I meant. (R.M. Nixon)

AWWWWWWW..Major bummer! Timmonsville is over.... We just had a great time....old bus worked pretty much flawlessly...weather sucked...but at least it didn't rain all weekend! Lots of great busnuts to visit..and watch work! Jack C is a workaholic...as opposed to us watchaholics...! You know...some of us had to help NCBob with his crisis of too many cronies! There were more than a few Cronies floating around! Moral support if you will! Anyway, IMHO , bending ones elbow qualifies as "work" too! While I said I wasn't going to park next to Ace, I did. And my rational for not parking next to his most excellent conversion was justified. Ace's H3 is a must-see! VERY nice conversion. Ace would be very sucessful in the conversion business. Ace's wife, Susan played fiddle with us, Gary L played banjo and we had a great old time! Gary took lots of pix and he'll be a-posting the party pix soon. Jack C was going to install a campground door latch into NCBob's bus door...big problemo....Bob's MC5 seemed to have a "one piece" sedan door. Literally one piece. No removeable inner door skin. and the door jamb was too narrow to install the post so....on to plan "B"....Newbee9 is now sporting a new door latch. Jack completed the install while everyone watched. Even worked when he finished! Had several guys from my neighborhood...Jerry C and his 102A3 (coming aloing very nicely), Bill H with the cellmate to my NJT...virtually identical to my NJT MC9 when I bought it. Only a few numbers apart in the NJT stables. Gene L, who was recently living about 5 minutes from me...did a fine job of cooking Mr. Pig! I got a little "take-out" BBQ to help remember the weekend...!Lots of buses at T'ville...Saudi MC5 with very nice interior and rope lights in the false roof...cool looking at night, Jack C's Orange Blossom Special with some very complex woodwork and even more complex feedback lighting....there's an LED warning for everything! Jack's dash more resembles avionics than a bus instrument panel! Had the "Spaceship" bus there...that's an interesting item! Something you just gotta see! NCBob had his really nice looking MC5 there...with a bay full of Cronies! He made good on his promise to bring refreshments!Gary made notes, with names and pix attached...I saw Gene writing too...Many thanks to Bubbagal's tireless efforts...and Dallas, for talking Bubbagal into all the work involved in promoting a bus rally! Thanks to Gary L and his wife, Gene Lewis, and Jack Conrad for for working all weekend. I personally must thank Jerry L for finding something to level my sat dish tripod feet. I'd set that puppie and the feet would slowly sink into the ground and lose the signal ... a few custom sawed up paint sticks and I had DirectTV without further ado....which is rare! Couple of high buck Kingdomes, for some reason, could'nt lock onto a signal in T'ville. We'll find out more about that later I'm sure. As one that has considered an automatic sat dish, whatever was happening to the Kingdomes would be insightful. Jerry also performed surgery on John's mandolin....had to drill out the end post with great precision! Jerry had the tools and skills to fix the mando! Gotta get the bus back into the garage....change the oil, and get ready for Arcadia! Later, JR

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JR Lynch , Charlotte, NC87 MC9, 6V92TA DDEC, HT748R ATEC

"Every government interference in the economy consists of giving an unearned benefit, extorted by force, to some men at the expense of others.”

We had a great time, too. It was much better than the May Rally, as I was able to bring my bus this time. Mine was probably the least converted bus there, but hey, at least it made it. I wasn't really comfortable backing the bus into our space and had to have assistance (i.e. somebody else do it), but other than that, my first bus driving experience was a blast. These are the most accomodating, helpful, and generous folks you could ever meet... all of them.

We arrived pretty late on Friday night due to lots of things that came up last minute. The campground looked pretty much asleep when we got there. I pulled over to the side of the entrance road and was considering just staying there 'til morning, as I didn't want to wake anybody up. Next thing you know, the campground has come alive. I think Gary was one of the first people I saw. We got situated in our site, then Cat comes over with hugs and offers of dinner. Roberta gave us a tour of the most unusual Eagle I've ever seen and contributed desert. After visiting and eating, it was time to retire for the night. I enjoyed driving the bus, but it was tiring. The next day we awoke to donuts and homemade buscuits and gravy and then the fun began!

Thanks Dallas and Cat and everybody that contributed time, food, entertainment, and refreshment (that's you, Bob) for all of our enjoyment. We hope to see everybody there again soon!

We had a great time, met some wonderful people, saw some very very 'cool' busses, and ate way to much really good food. Our bus did a bit better this time getting over 8.5 mpg and that's without subtracting any fuel used by the Webasto, which we actually used for heat (the nights were rather chilly) and the hot water to try out (for the very first time) the jetted bathtub (it worked perfectly). Thanks again to Dallas and Cat especially for hosting the best (and only) rallys we've attended. All those who attended made this a very memorable event. We are looking forward to seeing everyone again at future rallys.RegardsJerry 4107 1120

Thanks for your hospitality in showing us your coach (even tho you had already released the parking brake & were headded out!) Y'all, that is a very cool installation! Now I'll have to fit one of those tubs in mine! That was so cool!

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I know you believe you understand what you think I said, but I am not sure you realize that what you heard is not what I meant. (R.M. Nixon)

Well guys we left T-ville at 11:00 am and got home around 7:30 pm. Not ONE thing went wrong on the way home. Boy was I glad! We even stopped the bus at the local Ice Cream Shop for a treat before going all the way home!

Both Susan and I want to thank Dallas and Cat for all they did to welcome all of us busnuts to thier turf to spend what I would call a MOST enjoyable few days, even though the weather sucked at times!

The two of us also want to thank EVERYONE that, I guess you call it, "Tour" our bus, and ALL the kind words to say about it. We really have worked hard on it and appreciate what everyone had to say.

As for ALL those same people? What else can I say? I met some of the nicest folks I have ever met in my life. I mean who else would put up with a guy like me for that many days and still go away smiling? Even good ole' Sandy! She's a sweetheart for sure! Can't drive very good but none the less, a good sport!

Paula Conrad? Hmm... Well, when the pictures come out, ya'll will understand her a little more!

Speaking of pictures. My good friend Gary LaBombard took MEGA pics. You guys will just have to take a look when he gets them all posted. It may take a day or two longer than he wanted because to my understanding, on the way home they missed the exit and found themselves close to NC. The wrong way for sure! He is one heck of a guy and purely enjoyed his company when he was out from behind the camera lense!

Ross, it was good meeting you and your pal BUDDY! If anyone ever wants to see a large dog that has to be the sweetest dog alive, ask to meet BUDDY! I'm sure there are pics of him as well!

Jerry, thanks for the tip oin the house bank. I will put it to good use for sure!

Mike Merrill (sp) way too much stagger dude! For once you need to put the race car behind you! Oh and bring Cathy and Cinnamon with you next time. Without them I think you would want to make laps in the bus!

Kyle, great meeting you, your dad, and your family! Now get that or shoudl I say ONE of those busses running!

There are so many people I met and talked to I can't think of them all tonight but one guy I want to thank is good Ole' NCBob. When this man says something, you better believe him. He said he was bringing 12 cases of Corona's and when he FINALLY arrived, the first thing I checked was if it was a typo. Nope, tghere were 12 cases in the bay! Whew, and did it EVER clean me out the last day! I even had to dump my tank before leaving but that's another story!

Anyway, were home safe and sound and on the way home, I pulled a fast one on Gary so you guys be sure to ask him all about it!

Again, we had a great time and already planning the next rally in Arcadia!